A recently unearthed death certificate is raising new questions about U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren's claims of Native American heritage.The official document appears in an Oklahoma probate case for Warren’s aunt, Bess Amelia Veneck, who died in 1999. Warren has referred to her as Aunt Bea in the debate about her ancestry.Warren’s campaign did not deny that she is the family member who served as the informant for the death certificate.Recently, the Democratic Senate candidate used stories about her Aunt Bea to explain why she has always believed she has Native American roots.The race listed for Warren’s aunt is “White,” rather than “American Indian” which was the first option available.Cherokee genealogy expert Twila Barnes made the discovery while researching Warren’s past.“I think it's highly offensive,” Barnes told NewsCenter 5 by phone. “She used her aunt as somewhat proof and then you find out her aunt is thought of as white.”"The fact that she had an opportunity right there to sign off and reaffirm that Native American heritage and chose not to I think speaks for itself," said Republican Sen. Scott Brown who’s running for re-election.Brown was recently called-out for exaggerating his own record when he said in a radio interview that he had held meetings with kings and queens."When I said kings and queens I should have said representatives of kings and queens,” Brown said Monday. “I think that's a lot different than checking a box claiming I'm something I'm not in order to get ahead."Warren’s campaign spokesman declined our request for an on-camera interview.In an emailed statement Warren said, "The people involved in recruiting and hiring me for my teaching jobs -- including Charles Fried, a Republican who served as solicitor general and who supported Scott Brown for Senate in 2010 -- have all said that they were not even aware of my Native American heritage when they recruited me and that it played no role in my hiring.”

BOSTON —

A recently unearthed death certificate is raising new questions about U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren's claims of Native American heritage.

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The official document appears in an Oklahoma probate case for Warren’s aunt, Bess Amelia Veneck, who died in 1999. Warren has referred to her as Aunt Bea in the debate about her ancestry.

Warren’s campaign did not deny that she is the family member who served as the informant for the death certificate.

Recently, the Democratic Senate candidate used stories about her Aunt Bea to explain why she has always believed she has Native American roots.

The race listed for Warren’s aunt is “White,” rather than “American Indian” which was the first option available.

“I think it's highly offensive,” Barnes told NewsCenter 5 by phone. “She used her aunt as somewhat proof and then you find out her aunt is thought of as white.”

"The fact that she had an opportunity right there to sign off and reaffirm that Native American heritage and chose not to I think speaks for itself," said Republican Sen. Scott Brown who’s running for re-election.

Brown was recently called-out for exaggerating his own record when he said in a radio interview that he had held meetings with kings and queens.

"When I said kings and queens I should have said representatives of kings and queens,” Brown said Monday. “I think that's a lot different than checking a box claiming I'm something I'm not in order to get ahead."

In an emailed statement Warren said, "The people involved in recruiting and hiring me for my teaching jobs -- including Charles Fried, a Republican who served as solicitor general and who supported Scott Brown for Senate in 2010 -- have all said that they were not even aware of my Native American heritage when they recruited me and that it played no role in my hiring.”